Team USA Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker said golfing great Tiger Woods will play a part in this week’s event despite not being at Whistling Straits, as he continues to recover from injuries sustained in a car accident.
Woods was involved with a collision in Los Angeles in February after Woods, an 82-time PGA Tour champion, was there to host the Genesis Invitational.
The American had to have immediate surgery on the left leg of his severely injured left leg. He has been recovering since.
The eight-time Ryder Cup player has not featured in a tournament since the 2020 Masters just under a year ago, and his absence from Whistling Straits came as no surprise following Stricker’s team selection.
However, captain Stricker said Woods will still play a part for the American team as the golfing legend will provide motivational speeches and team talks to his side via video call on Zoom.
Ahead of this week’s 43rd edition of the famous matchplay tournament in Wisconsin, the American captain spoke about the influence of Woods on his team, despite not being there in person.
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(Image: ETIENNE LAURENT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Stricker said: “He is still part of this Ryder Cup family, I have talked to him a lot. He is passionate about the Ryder Cup, and a great person to talk to and to lean on.
“He continues to be a part of this, even if he can’t be there in person. He will be with us in spirit and help us from afar.”
Woods and Stricker previously worked together for their national team in matchplay events, as the pair were both vice captains to Davis Love III in America’s last Ryder Cup win in 2016.
One year later, the 82-time PGA Tour winner then acted as Stricker’s right-hand man at the 2017 Presidents Cup, which the Americans again prevailed in, this time over the International Team 19-11.
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Woods, the American skipper, will be hopeful that he can inspire the next generation US Ryder Cup stars. This is after a decade of dominance by their European counterparts.